An Annie Lennox standards album. You would think that it would be a match made in sweet dreams heaven, right? That soulful voice paired with the most beautiful melodies is enough to give me hives of you. After all, she recorded quite possibly my most favorite version of probably my favorite song of all time: "Everytime We Say Goodbye." But, it tears me up that I was not really satisfied with "Nostalgia," her newish album of songs mostly from the Great American Songbook. I will not even go with the misguided decision of her singing "Strange Fruit," which in itself is an assault in modern history. I thought, at the very least, her take would be thoughtful, finding ways to differentiate itself from the Billie Holiday version. I am sad to admit that the track turns out to be a watered-down version of Holiday's, so why bother with the controversial choice? It really smacks of a rookie, though I refuse to believe Lennox never really understood the meaning of the song.
Lennox has also said in interviews that she is in a happier place now, and is talking about retirement. So I am as surprised to find this album is joyless. Where is the effervescence of when she sang the 1930s dittie "Young and Beautiful" from her Diva album. Instead, we get funereal versions of "Summertime," and "God Bless The Child," two common choices that does not really show how intelligent a singer she is. Sure the tango-ish "I Can't Dream, Can't I" is a great treat, and she does very well with "You Belong To Me," but the rest of the album passes by without anything original or innovative addition to these songs. The album isn't bad, mind you. It's just that it doesn't impress, it doesn't take your breath, it doesn't leave an impression. Please make another album, Annie, and don't leave us this way.
Jennifer Aniston is de-glamourized in "Cake," and that's seems to be the catch-all for this movie. Look, Jen has no make-up! Look, Jen has no scars on her face! To focus on that is a shame, because in this movie, Aniston gives the performance of her career, and that really should be what people should be talking about. As Claire, a woman addicted to pain medications, she gives a nuanced - physically and soulfully - performance that is exemplary I was bewitched by just her presence in the movie. (Like Julianne Moore in "Still Alice, she is on every scene) One of the major criticisms in general is that every character she plays seems to be a variation of her Friends' Rachel green character but in here she becomes totally immersed, and at once the viewer forgets it's Aniston they are seeing. It's such a bravura performance that it really is a shame that she was not nominated for an Academy Award. She deserves it.
As for the movie, I wished it served her better. It falls flat with about a quarter left in the story, and even if it makes you want to care less about the character by that time you are already in love with Claire that it does not matter. As her maid and sometimes co-conspirator Silvana, Adriana Barrazais deserves notice as well. Actually, the whole support cast frames Aniston's performance well. I really do recommend this movie, if only to see an actress show her true thespic wings.
Forbidden love , it's a tale as old as time. Dan Skinner tackles that in "The Bible Boys," where the love that dare not speak its name is complicated by religion. Caleb and Matt - teenagers who get together on a bible group trip - and they fall for each other. But their families are members of a cult conservative sect, and that spells doom. The book is paper thin, but it's heart is in the right place. For my taste, the sex scenes are a little overlong, and Skinner could have used the space for more depth. But this isn't a bad book at all, it's sort of a Brokeback Mountain for teens, and will probably be useful for a lonely gay boy out there struggling to deal with his sexual orientation. If only for that reason, this book deserves wider readership.
I have a mountain of samples and I told myself I would slowly go through them, and this morning I randomly picked Erminigildo Zegna's Florentine Iris, which is from his Essenze line (launched 2012) which was their venure into a higher-end more exclusive line. The perfumes in the line are all centered around beragmot, and this one has major notes of iris, violet. This is a very cold violet, not the raw kind. The violet rounds it and gives it a "barbershop" vibe, making this smell more masculine. It's not a flowery iris that's for sure, although in the background while it dries down I smell hints of some white flowers. It's also very aquatic, reminiscent of 90s mens' scents, although admittedly this does not smell dated. This is powerful and the sillage speaks loud. I would imagine that a lot of females would like to smell this on their men. I bet a player would get a lot of compliments while wearing this. But while it is that, I find it staid. It's too run-of-the-mill for my taste, for its price point of $195.00 a little too common smelling. If this was a commercial release, I would actually applaud it. But in a niche level, it just doesn't cut it.
In September, when I was in London, the movie theater around the corner from my hotel was showing the movie "Pride," and I remember passing by it, looking at the huge poster and wondering if it was a gay movie. Then I read a rave about it somewhere, and realized that it was a movie with gay content, so I made a mental note to try and catch it somewhere. I missed it, but the movie has been in my radar sine and when it finally came out on video, I instantly put it on my Netflix queue. What a great uplifting feel-good movie this is. The story is set during the miner's strike during the Thatcher years in the UK when gay and lesbian groups banded with the miners because they empathized with their plight. Miners and gays would seem like an odd couple, and yes they are, but the film shows that even the most mismatched people can find common ground and band together. Director Matthew Marchus (who directed the stage version of 'Matilda') weaves personal stories with seamlessness that you instantly connect with all the characters on both sides. There's great performances everywhere, but for me Imelda Staunton and Bill Nighy stand out among the vets. So yes, at times, the proceedings become a tad predictable and you can see the resolutions a mile away, but you won't be able to recognize the big open heart tha lies inside this movie. Rent it, stream it, however you watch it, just do.
I wanted something light to read and Beth Kendrick's "Nearlyweds" just fit the bill instantly. I mean, it even has a cute dog on the cover so this has got to be as cute a read, right? I wasn't wrong. It actually has a unique premise. Three couples get married on the same weekend, and the pastor who married them dies before signing their marriage certificates. So technically, they are all not legally wed. A curse or a blessing in disguise? The answer lies differently for each of these couples. Stella wants kids but finds out her husband has had a vasectomy. Casey feels insecure because she had to force Nick to marry her, even paying for her engagement ring. And Erin has a third person in their marriage: her mother in law. Nothing too new to see her, but Kendrick sets the proceeding quick and painless, and enjoyable enough to keep your attention. It could be worse.
Tim Burton's movie "Big Eyes," opens with a quote from Andy Warhol complementing the art of Margaret Keane, and the movie tells her story. Clearly, we are already biased and empathetic towards Ms. Keane. Truthfully, I have only heard about her/this story when I heard about this biopic of hers, although I have a very vague recollection of seeing her paintings when I was a young kid. I like her paintings. I think her style is a great mixture of melancholy and whimsy, though I do admit they are kind of kitschy. And I thought her story was interesting. She has a passive personality and agreed when her husband, Walter Keane decided to take credit of her paintings. Burton tells the story clearly. This is not your typical Burton production, though on one scene (the supermarket one) you get a glimpse of his quirk. Perhaps Burton has a lot of respect for this story and wanted to tell it in the most straightforward way possible. He succeeds and you are riveted from the first frame to the last. Amy Adams gives a great performance here, subdued but powerful. Counterpointing hers is Christoph Waltz's manic over-the-top turn, which really turned me off. Surely, there is a better way to convey the character than his histrionic over-acting style? For me, it just highlights Adams' performance more. I think this film has an interesting story to tell, though perhaps may be a bit too tame for today's mainstream taste.
Anyone who is even remotely interested in fashion knows who Diane Vreeland is. For those uninitiated, there's a wonderful documentary on Netflix called "The Eyes Has To Travel," which gives us a glimpse of her genius. I love one of her most famous quotes: "Pink is the navy blue of India," and there was a time I used that as my signature quote on my emails. But I think what I loved most about her was that while she thought that perfume was an "extravagance," she was from that school of people who wanted their perfumes to be noticed. She hated the fact that Americans use them sparingly, and advocated that everyone should carry small bottles int heir bags for replenishing. She could have been speaking my motto.
So I was excited to see that her grandson, Alexander Vreeland, has launched five perfumes in her name, and named them from her favorite expressions. I know a lot of people thought this was blasphemy, and wasn't too happy with the idea. But good or bad, I knew I had to have a bottle from this line, if only from a collector's point of view. When I went to Neiman Marcus and tried them all, the one that most spoke to me at first was "Extravagance Russe," which is a classic Oriental with predominant Russian leather and musk notes. But, I thought it was just a little too thin, so I went and explored the rest of the line. Bottom line: there in't anything innovative or daring with the line itself, but these are well-done scents. Later on, I kept on coming back to "Outrageously Vibrant," which is the one that is most unliek what I would like: a fruity floral with patchouli base. It is centered around mango and creme of cassis, and it just spoke to me. It is fresh, vibrant, and it smelled good on my skin, turning sweet but not overly so. I also thought it was a versatile scent: on that cold day it blossomed but didn't turn too dark on me, and I could imagine it soaring on a summer day. So I made an executive decision and got it. The more I sniff everything else, the more I will get confused, so I went with my gut. As i wear it again today, I don't regret my decision: it's a floral that's not too feminine, and I carry it well, if I do say so myself. So while I still kind of dream of "Extravagance Russie" (I have a 10 ml vial that the SA gave me and I am still contemplating on going back for it) I am at peace with my decision.
Well, here we are, my first finished book for the new year. I was only able to accomplish half of my reading challenge for 2014, so hopefully I will be able to fare better this year.
I was initially attracted to "Ghosts Of Manhattan" because it centered around a bond trader and his work environment, an atmosphere I am familiar with because I used to work there. And indeed, the main character sounds like someone I may have worked with before. Even the people who work around him sound like people I may have worked with. Too bad there's really nothing else for me in this book. The story is a bit unfocused: part work drama during the mid 2000's banking meltdown, part domestic marriage drama between him and his wife. Neither storyline was interesting to me, and the final message - a morality tale? and greed is not good - seems lost in all of it. I don't think the story went from point A to point B. The main character, Nick Farmer, waned to quit from the beginning of the book and only did so in the last page. There seems to be no there there.
Then I read the acknowledgements and find out the author is married to the execrable Fox News journalist Megyn Kelly and the whole book leaves more bad taste in my mouth. Yuck.
It's been a rough couple of weeks, and I know I have not written. But hopefully 2015 gives me more motivation to update here. I have been trying to catch up on my movies lately, and over the weekend went to see "The Imitation Game," hoping it will spark my interest again in cinema. Well, i couldn't have chosen a better film, as this is one of those films that grab you right away and never lets you go, and I came out of the movie house devastated, touched, and fully satisfied with the experience.
Based on the life of Alan Turing, the film exposes his secret part in the Allies' victory in World War II by chronicling how he broke the code of the "Enigma," which the Nazis used to transport messages. While the idea sounds boring, the director, Morten Tyldum, sets up the story in such a suspenseful way that I was at the edge of my seat the whole time. I thought perhaps the last eighth of the film was wrapped up too quickly, kind of minimizing the heartbreaking ending, but that's just me being picky. (I remember seeing the play - Breaking The Code - on Broadway which starred Derek Jacoby)
Benedict Cumberbatch gives an effectively nuanced performance as Turing. There is a lot of subtlety in his performance, and in the hands of a lesser actor, the character would have appeared manic and mannered. But, Cumberbatch lets the audience fills holes in his simplicity. I never got him before (I have not seen hsi Sherlock acting) but now I get why he has some rabid fans. Keira Knightly is also wonderful as Joan, his best friend/wife, and deserves an Academy Award nomination (I suspect she will get it)
Most of all, I love the film for its best message: that there were gay and lesbian people in history who contributed and helped with how we enjoy freedom and democracy today. But during those times, they were punished for being what they were. We live in a different world now, thankfully, and realize how lucky I am to see how the world has changed for the better.
"The Andy Cohen Diaries," Andy Cohen writes, was inspired by Andy Warhol's diaries, a book that Mr. Cohen treasured and carried with him when it first came out. I think Mr. Cohen himself will not say that his stature is as great as Mr. Warhol's, and this whole book is written with s a little bit of tongue-in-cheek irony. Mr. Warhol dealt with real artists and superstars, and well, Mr. Cohen deals with "real housewives." Still, this book is a juicy read, if you know and mildly care about the people he hangs out with, like Kelly Ripa or Anderson Cooper. Mr. Cohen has a more interesting day to day life than I do, but I wish it had a little more depth. I wish he dealt more with some of his executive decisions at Bravo, for example, instead of his incessant drinking at parties. But perhaps that is what his audience is expecting from this book.
I've been trying to catch up with all my stored shows on my DVR and started watching the first four episodes of the new reality competition, "House of DVF," which is about Diane Von Furstenberg's search for her new Global Ambassador. It's premise is nothing new - it is sort of a mix of America's Nect Top Model and The Apprentice. The idea is that Ms. von Furstenberg wants to have a non-celebrity represent the brand, and will act as the company's face, aside from DVF. Jaded me was really cynical about the show, and was ready to write it off if it didn't keep my interest. But, it did, primarily because of Ms. von Furstenberg herself. Acting as part matriarch, part mentor, part mother hen, you can't help but be glued to the screen when she is on. Even when she is doling out rote advise ("It's not what you do it's how you do it") you feel as if you are hearing these things for the first time. Maybe its her French-accented English that makes it sound so convincing. But things aren't all smooth, though - a lot of the drama seems set up, like for example, when bitchy contestants get rewarded which makes for better drama with the contestants. But this show has a lot of things going for it - pretty people in glamorous situations acting bitchy and competitive. They all make for good television, and I will be watching.
It had to happen. Elsa can't help but freezing everything, and icicles mean Christmas, right? So here we are, Idina Menzel has released a Holiday album titled "Holiday Wishes." I mean, look at the album cover - she gives the illusion of being covered in ice. But did we really need a Christmas album from her? I don't really get the Idina hate, because I think she is a fantastic singer. Yes, she belts and screams, and her voice can be on the loud and sharp side, but it is theatrical, it reaches the back row, and it's a marvel. It's exactly what I would expect from a Broadway diva! And this album perfectly showcases that voice. The word restraint isn't used here, and she sings all these songs full throttle. That, in my opinion, is a good thing. Menzel doesn't tone down the proceedings just because it is a Holiday album. Rote choices like "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" and "the Christmas Song" are on fire, thanks to her. The arrangements can be a bit unimaginative, btu who cars, Idina just runs away with these songs. I particularly like the breathless "All I Want For Christmas Is You" (The Mariah song - that has become a modern classic, hasn't it?) And she is theatrically passive on "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?" (I imagine it as a theater piece, and it works) Even her self-penned "December Prayer" satisfies. All in all, this album is perfect for tree-trimming parties for show queens. You know if you're in the target market.
It seems like Viktor & Rolf's scents don't do subtle. Their biggest hit, Flowerbomb, is a descendant of Angel, and its male counterpart, Spicebomb, is tobacco overload. So of, course, their newest release, BonBon, follows the same lead. This is an overload of sugar - as sweet as sweet gets. It's gourmand with a capital G. The line up of notes, mandarin, orange, peach, jasmine, orange blossom, gaiac wood, cedar wood, sandalwood and amber, are amped up, and you get a sweet syrupy fruit cocktail. And caramel. But this is not the gauzy powdery caramel, more an amped-up version. And BonBon sure could be cloying. I haven't tried it, but on a humid summer day this could be brutal. But on a cool day, this could be delicious. And fun. I wore this on my recent trip, and it stayed linear and sweet the whole day. It was perfect if you want to wear something fun, maybe to match your pastel colored ensemble. But, it's not for everyone. A diabetic can get comatized from its sugar content. The sillage is not overpowering, and longevity is primo (I sprayed yesterday and a day after, I can still smell it) Feel young and wear this.
"This Is Where I Leave You" has an all-star cast that will leave you breathless. So what then are they doing in this sophomoric movie? Directed by Shawn Levy, this movie wastes these fine actors in a movie filled with unlikeable characters in cliched situations. Judd (Jason Bateman) catches his wife sleeping with his boss, Tina Fey plays a woman with a dick of a husband who only cares about money, Adam Driver plays the young son with a Peter Pan syndrome. They all get to sit shiva (even though their parents are atheists) and are "forced" to interact with each other for seven days. I mean, I get the concept - when families do get together, every little thing from the past s forced out, but in here I don't think any character makes any kind of right decision, and even so, their interactions all feel manufactured and fake. And if all else fails, they resort to potty humor which makes you feel that you wandered into a Judd Apatow movie. Jane Fonda, as the matriarch, seems to be lost. I can just seen her thinking in her head, "I am better than this." (And she is) While we get to see these actors try hard in the best situations (Bateman, Driver, and Rose Byrnes shine the brightest), the shoddy script can sometimes highlight their limitations (Tina Fey's character looks the most one-note) I have the book somewhere, and after reading this, I decided I just won't waste my time reading it.
